Based on John 8:31-47 (New King James Version)
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. ‘I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.’ They answered and said to Him, ‘Abraham is our father.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.’ Then they said to Him, ‘We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.’”
We live an in age where many people think they know a lot, maybe because our supposed science and technology is more advanced than ever before. Mankind has been able to attain many things. In the 19th century, electricity was produced. In 1882, the first electric plant was in operation in New York City. During the fifties of the past century, the famous space race started. And in July 20, 1969, man set foot for the first time on moon, when a certain American astronaut called Neil Armstrong took his first step and these words were recorded: “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Today, we have many wireless things, super computers, all kinds of smart things. Doctors perform complicated surgeries assisted by robots. We now even have artificial intelligence, something that marvels many but also scares many for fear of what would happen if used unethically or immorally. And this is not a fear of the ignorant or the poorly educated. But the more we supposedly know, the more illusive and subjective truth has become. Many would say today that truth is relative, and that absolute truth does not exist. We are so smart today that we do not even understand what truth is anymore! What is truth?
Like all things in life, everything requires some kind of faith, of believing in something that cannot be seen. The person that discovered electricity started with concepts, with ideas, but they believed in their assumptions, with the little they did know conclusively. And so, every person that reached great goals and were able to achieve significant milestones had an idea, a vision, but they had seen nothing concrete when they started their search. Each person exercises some kind of faith, of believing something before seeing it realized, supposing that if certain things do exist and are, and if what is necessary is done, then what they hope for will become a reality. Faith is something vital in order to get to the truth. Without faith, it is impossible to get to the truth, because there is an absolute truth, no matter how many may deny it. There is Something or Someone that does exist above all things, precisely because there are so many things that can be seen and experienced that demonstrate that He does exist. The “Truth that really matters” is not subjective or relative, but rather, completely absolute here and in the whole universe.
Now, why do I make an emphasis in the “Truth that really matters”? Because despite our great achievements as human beings, where we believe we are very intelligent and advanced, there are still very simple things that are unchangeable and irrefutable realities. Each human being is born and will die someday. The time for each person will come, and all of the money of the world will not stop that. No science or technological advancement will change that reality. They may help extend things a little (possibly), but the truth is that we will all die someday. So then, looking at the great scheme of things, what does it matter then what a person can achieve or do all of their life if one day they will get to the same thing, to die like all mortals do? The Egyptian pharaohs built great buildings for decades with the blood and suffering of many slaves with the idea to take their riches to the other world, for example. They died and their riches remain buried or probably in some museum, but they were not able to take anything they wanted. And I’m very certain they did not get to a very pleasant place either. So then, what good did it do everything they did? There is no human that can triumph over death. This is an irrefutable truth.
So, what Truth does matter, that is neither relative nor subjective? The Truth that God is God, and that Jesus Christ is the only One that we know of that conquered death. The Lord is the Lord in heaven, on earth, beneath the earth and the ocean, in the next galaxy. He was the Lord from the beginning. He is Lord today. And He will continue being Lord forever and ever, amen. And no matter what man wants to believe, that reality, that Truth cannot be changed. They can try to ignore it but ignoring something does not make it unreal. This is what is written: “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” John 8:36. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:1-4. “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5. “… ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6. “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.” John 14:23-24. Quite simply, there is no true freedom from death, no eternal life unless the Truth that Jesus Christ is Lord is accepted, and what He taught is done. His Truth is the Word of God, and there is no freedom unless it is accepted, kept, and put into practice, from Genesis until Revelation, starting with the most important: loving God above all things and loving our neighbor as ourselves. The law and the prophets depend on these things. This is the all of man, the only truth that matters that makes us eternally free through Jesus Christ, the only One that conquered death. So, are you truly free? Lord bless! John